Elon Musk, Marco Rubio Clash Over Firings In ‘Explosive’ Cabinet Meeting? Trump Reacts To Report

US President Trump reacted to reports of a heated exchange between Elon Musk and Marco Rubio during a White House meeting.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 08 Mar 2025 11:55 PM (IST)

File Photo of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and billionaire Elon Musk
Source : X/@SecRubio | Getty Images

US President Donald Trump has dismissed reports of a heated exchange between his senior advisor, billionaire Elon Musk, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a White House cabinet meeting after reports claimed a faceoff between both.

According to The New York Times, Musk, who leads the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), confronted Rubio over his cost-cutting measures at the State Department, accusing him of having fired “nobody” in the administration’s first 45 days. Rubio reportedly responded that 1,500 officials had accepted early retirement, sarcastically asking whether he should rehire them just to fire them again for dramatic effect, the NYT stated in a report titled 'Inside the Explosive Meeting Where Trump Officials Clashed With Elon Musk'.  

Musk also clashed with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy over the alleged sacking of vital air traffic controllers amid multiple plane crashes. Duffy reportedly accused DOGE of attempting to cut crucial positions, prompting Musk to call it a “lie.” The exchange was reportedly interrupted by Trump, who suggested hiring controllers from the “geniuses” studying at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  

Addressing reporters on Friday, Trump denied any confrontation, saying, “No clash. I was there.” He further asserted that Musk and Rubio were working well together, stating, “They’re both doing a fantastic job ... they both get along fantastically well”, news agency AFP reported.  

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Rubio Privately Frustrated With Musk, Particularly After USAID Shutdown: Report

The New York Times report also highlighted that Rubio had been privately frustrated with Musk for weeks, particularly after DOGE effectively shut down the United States Agency for International Development, which was under Rubio’s jurisdiction.  

Tensions have reportedly been rising between Musk and senior officials, with some accusing DOGE’s Silicon Valley-recruited team of overstepping their authority. Since Trump took office, his administration has pursued an aggressive efficiency drive, leading to the dismissal or announced departure of tens of thousands of federal employees.

Published at : 08 Mar 2025 11:50 PM (IST)
Tags :
Elon Musk Donald Trump US United STates Marco Rubio

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